The Effect of HIIT on Serum Vitamin D Level and Anthropometric Measures in Male Adolescents with Obesity/Overweight

Low serum vitamin D levels, and obesity/overweight are 2 common complications of teenagers. The current study aimed at examining the effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on serum levels of vitamin D and anthropometric parameters in adolescents with overweight.
A total of 96 students from 2 schools of District 5 of Tehran Municipality, Iran, were selected using the random cluster sampling method and assigned into 2 groups of intervention and control. In the intervention group, the HIIT training program was performed 3 times a week in 40-minute sessions for the total of 6 weeks, while in the control group, the program was limited to walking around the school yard. In 2 stages, before and after the intervention, blood samples were taken from participants and their anthropometric parameters were measured. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum vitamin D level in the study participants. Anthropometric parameters including weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, and lean body mass were measured by a digital scale and a bioimpedance analyzer.
Serum vitamin D level increased significantly at the end of the training program in the intervention group compare with the control group (P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in the anthropometric measures between the intervention and control groups as well as the pretest and posttest anthropometric measures of the intervention group.
Based on the results of the current study, HIIT training program improved serum vitamin D level in adolescents with overweight compare with the controls, but it had no impacts on the anthropometric measures. Further studies on genders, different age.